Lawn-mower.



F. PARMER.

LAWN MOWER.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 29, 1913.

Patented Dec. 29, 1914.

2 SHEETSSHEET 1.

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LAWN MOWER.

APPLIGATION FILED AUG.29,1913.

Patented Dec. 29, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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FRANK FABMER,'OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-HALF T0 ROBERT E.

' FARMER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

LAWN-MOWER.

Application flled August 29, 1913. Serial No. 787,326.

To all whom it ma concern:

Be it known t at I, FRANK FARMER, a citizenof the United States,residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and-State of Illinois, haveinvented certain new and useful- Improvements in Lawn-Mowers, of whichthe following is a specification.

My present invention pertains to improvements in lawn-mowers. I

' The main object of the invention resides in the provision of means forbringing the cutting edge of the cutter-bar into perfect alinement withthe blades of the reel and permanently maintaining such alinement byrigidly locking the frame of the mower in a fixed position when thealinement has been attained. v

A. further object of the invention is to provide means whereby thecutterebar is held up to the reel so that the cutter-bar will yield whensubjected to undue strain.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for adjusting saidcutter-bar toward and from the reel, independently of the adjustment ofthe frame.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an indicator inconnection with the cutter-bar adjusting mechanism, whereby one mayreadily determine when the proper adjustment is efi'ected between thereel and the blade.

Another object of the invention is to form the entering portions of theblades of the reel and the coacting cutter-bar so that should the partsbe thrown out of proper adjustment by any cause, the blades willnevertheless pass into operative relation, and the reel be permitted torotate, thus freeing the machine from strain which inheres when the reelis suddenly stopped, as in mowers of the present type.

With these and other objects in view, reference will be had to theannexed drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of the machine; Fig. 2 a top planView thereof, certain details of the adjusting mechanism being omittedor broken away; Fig. 3 ,a transverse vertical sectional view, taken onthe line 3-3 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 a similar View, taken on the line 4-4 ofFig. 1; Fig. 5 a perspective view of the adjustable frame connecting baras seen from the under side; Fig. 6 a detail view of one end of thecutter bar showing a modification of the invenj and 8 diagrammatic viewsillustrative ofthe relation between the frame of the mower and thecutter-bar, and reel blades, the parts being shown as thrown out ofposition in big. 8 and somewhat accentuated.

In the drawings, 1 and 2 represent, respectively, the main side framesof the mower, and 3 and 4 the forward supporting and driving wheels.Between the rear ends of the frames there is adjustably mounted asupporting roller 5, these parts being of the usual or any preferredconstruction.

Extending across between frames 1 and 2 at the upper forward portionthereof, is a cross tie'bar or rod 6, which rod, as is usual. serves tospace the frames and to hold them in place.

Ordinarily the cutter bar has been employed to secure the frames in rearof the cutter reel, but with the present construction the cutter-bar isnot depended upon to elfect such result, and an independent bar, 7, isemployed. Said bar is shown in detail in Fig. 5, and is of a length toextend across between the side frames, the ends thereof overlying lugsor brackets 8 and 9, extending inwardly, respectively, from the frames 1and 2, and to which it is connected by cap screws 10.

Bar 7, which may be termed the alining bar, is provided on its underface adjacent one end, with two rigid teatsor lugs 11 and 12, and at itsopposite end with a similar member 13. An adjusting and locking screw 14is also mounted in the bar at such end and as will be noted lugs 11 and12 are located upon opposite sides of the screw holes into which the capscrews 10 pass, and lug 13 and screw 14 occupy the same relation at theopposite end; in other words, said members are spaced apart in pairsupon opposite sides of the median line of the alining bar 7, and bear,respectively, upon the brackets 8 and 9.

The cutter bar is preferably of the springsustained type; that is, it isheld up to the reel by a spring the tension of which is preferablyadjustable, so that the mower may be set to operate upon various gradesor growths of grass.

Under the present preferred construction the cutter bar, designated by15, is secured to and carried by a rocking frame, compris ing across-bar or member 16, and arms 17 Patented Dec.29, rear.

and 18 extending rearwardly and upJwardly therefrom, said arms beingsecured etween the frames 1 and 2 by means of screws 19 which arejournaled in said frames.

An arm or lever 20 extends forwardly from the upper portion of arm 17, aspring '21 being connected thereto and at its opposite end to the lowerend of threaded stem 22 which passes loosely through an overhangingbracket 23, carried by frame 1. A wing nut 24, is mounted upon said stemand serves as a means of adjustment for the stem I they may be readilyreadjusted and this and consequently the spring.

Arm 20 is provided in its upper face with a socket or recess 25, inwhich is sea-ted an indicator, comprising a slide 26 provided at itsrear end with a handle or finger-piece 27, the slide being held in thesocket by a screw 28, which freely passes through an elongated slot 29formed therein. The lower end of a stop screw 30 overlies slide 26, saidscrew being mounted in a bracket 31 and held in its adjusted position bya wing nut 32.

The reel, secured to the reel shaft 33, may be of any approved type, butpreferably the knives or blades 34: at their advance or entering endwill be somewhat cut away or beveled, as at 35, to facilitate thepassage of the blade into cutting relation with the cutter-bar. Ifpreferred, the cutter-bar at its initial cutting or entering end may bedownwardly inclined or deflected, as at 36, Fig. 6, in which case thereel blades will be of the usual type.

In the adjustment of the mower, the frames 1 and 2 swing up or downabout the cross rod 6 as a center, and the radius of movement of thereel center and the cutterbar-supporting frame is indicated in Fig. 7

by the radius lines a and b, respectively. The correct adjustment isshown in full lines in said figure, and a distorted position in dottedlines; the cutter bar being more remote from the center 6, it will haveagreater 1 range or amplitude of movement than the reel. By adjustingthe frames up or down, as the case may be, about the rod 6, the cutterbar will be moved from its improper position (as in Fig. 8, where suchincorrect position is shown somewhat exaggerated) and caused to assume aperfect alinement with the reel blades throughout its entire length, andsuch ad'ustment, when once secured, is maintaine by locking the aliningbar 7 in position. Said bar, while the reel blades and cutter bar arebeing brought to adjustment, is free to rock with reference to brackets8 and 9 upon its three fixed lugs 11, 12 and 13, and when the properalinement betweenthe blades and cutter-bar is secured, screw 14 isturned home firmly agamst the underlying bracket 8, thus lockmg theparts against relative movement under ordinary usage and handlingconditions.

The ad ustment of the parts may be stated in another way, namel rWhenthe side frames have been shifte so that the reel-blades and cutter barapproximately aline, the final adjustment may be secured .by the screw14, and bolts 10 screwed home and that with ease. Should the parts bethrown out of adjustment by undue jar or impact, as frequently occurs inshipment,

without rshipment to the factory skilled assembler is employed. v

While the alinement feature is essential when employed inconjunction-with a cutterbar mounting of the type herein set forth, theinvention from a generic standpoint is not so limited. When once theinitial ad-' justment of the cutter-bar and reel blades is effected andthe frames locked together, the secondary or tension adjustment of thecutter-bar will be made. This is effected in the following manner.

A slight tension is put upon the spring 21 by screwing down the win nut24, which has the effect of elevatin t e arm 20 and bringing theindicator slide 26 against the stop-screw. 30. A reel blade is thenbrought into cutting position with reference to the cutter-bar 15, andthe combined stop and adjusting screw is then advanced or backed(whichever direction is necessary) until the cutter-bar rests againstthe reel blade and the stress of the spring 21 acts to draw thecutter-bar into contact with the reel blade. When this adjustment iseffected, the lower end of the stop screw 30 will be just out of contactwith the indicator slide 26, and as soon as the slide is loose sothat itmay be moved back and forth under the stop screw, one knows that thestop screw. has been properly adjusted, so that the tension of thespring has caused the blades to come into cutting contact. The reelblade should be moved across the cutter-bar and the indicator slidemoved back and forth at the same time. If the blades are perfectly true,the slide will be free to move throughout the entire movement of thereel blade over the cutter-bar, but should there be any inequality inthe reel blade or the cutterbar, then the indicator slide will show thisand the blade may be re-dressed; .or if this be not possible, the stopscrew 30 should be backed up sufliciently to release the indicator slide26; then the operator will know that the tension of the spring hasbrought the blades into cutting contact at the point of inequality, andthat ever part of the blades will be subject to tlie tension of wherethe the spring. Under working conditions the 'auaaroe with thecutter-bar, though, of course, if the reel blades do not overlap on thecutterbar the cutter-bar would momentarily be raised during the passageof one reel-blade from the bar to the entrance of the next reel bladeinto contact therewith, at which moment the stop screw 30 would hold thecutter-bar frame from being thrown upwardly into an abnormal position bythe spring 21, The tension of'the spring and consequently the degree ofpressure exerted between the cutter bar 15 and the reel blades, may bevaried to suit different requirements. Some grass is much tougher thanothers, and of necessity the tension at such time would have to begreater than where short, deli-- machine, as the cutter-bar is free tomove downwardly away from the reel blade, and to thus free itself of theforeign material.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In a mower, the combination of side frames; a tie rod connecting saidframes at their forward portions; a knife reel mounted between saidframes; a cutter bar coacting with said reel; and means independent ofsaid bar for securing adjustment of the frames and consequent relativeadjustment of the bar and reel knives.

2. In a mower, the-combination of side frames; a tie rod connecting saidframes at their forward portions; a knife reel mounted between saidframes; a cutter bar coacting with the knives of said reel; and meansfor shifting said frames relatively to each other and securing themagainst movement when once the desired adjustment is effected.

3. In a mower, the combination of side frames; a tie rod connecting saidframes at their forward portions; a knife reel mounted between saidframes; a cutter bar coacting with the knives of said reel; a bar having a rocking connection at its ends wlth said frames; and means forrocking the bar and consequently the frames and securing the same intheir adjusted relation.

4. In a mower, the combination of side frames; a tire rod connectingsaid frames at their forward portions; a knife reel carried by saidframes; a rocking, spring-sustained cutter bar carried by the frames andcoacting with the knives of said reel; and means independent of thetie-rod for securing adjustment of the frames and consequent relativeadjustment of the cutter bar and reel knives.

5. In a mower, the combination of side frames; a tie rod connecting saidframes at their forward portions; a knife reel carried by said frames: acutter bar also supported by said frames; a bracket extending from eachframe at a point in rear of the cutter bar; a bar connected at its endsto said brackets; and means carried by said bar and coacting withthe-brackets to produce a relative vertical adjustment of the framesabout the tie rod as a center.

6. In a mower, the combination of a pair of side frames; a tie rodconnecting said frames at their forward portions; a knife reel carriedby the frames; a cutter bar also supported by said frames; a bracketextending from each frame at a point in rear of the cutter bar; analining bar secured at its ends to said brackets; a pair of fixed lugsextending from one end of said bar and resting on the adjacent bracket;a lug extending from the other end of the bar and bearing upon theadjacent bracket; and a screw mounted in the bar adjacent saidlastmentioned lug and likewise bearing at one end on the bracket.

7. In a mower, the combination of a frame; a knife reel carried thereby;a cutter-bar pivotally mounted to swing toward and from the reel; aspring urging the bar toward the reel; means for adjusting said spring;and means for indicating the tent of such adjustment and consequentlythe degree of friction existing between the reel knives and thecutter-bar.

8. In a mower, the combination of a frame; a knife reel carried thereby;a cutter-bar pivotally mounted to swing toward and from the reel; aspring urging the bar toward the reel; means for adjusting the tensionof said spring; a stop for limiting the movement of the cutter-bartoward the reel; and a slide interposed between the cut ter-bar and stopand serving to indicate when the proper adjustment of the stop has beenefiected to permit the tension of the spring to bring the reel knivesand cutterbar into contact at all points.

9. In a mower, the combination of a main frame; a knife reel carriedthereby; a cutter-bar carrying frame pivotally supported in the mainframe; a cutter-bar secured thereto; a spring secured at one end to saidpivoted frame;-adjusting means for the spring secured to the oppositeend of the spring and to a fixed portion of the main frame; an indicatorslide loosely mounted in the upper face of the pivoted frame; and anadjustable stop screw mounted in a fixed portion of the main frame, thelower end of said screw overlying the slide.

10. In a mower, the combination of a pair of side frames; a tie rodconnecting said frames and about which said frames may have a relativemovement; a knife reel mounted between said frames; a cutter-bar adaptedto coact with the knivesof the reel; and means, independent of thecutterbar and tie rod, for securing the frames against relative movementwhen the bar and the reel knives are properly alined.

11. In a mower, the combination of a pair of side frames; a knife reelmounted between said frames; a cutter-bar adapted to coact therewith;and means, independent of the cutter-bar, for effecting a relativemovement of the frames to aline the cutterbar and reel knives and tosecure said 10 frames in such adjusted position.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

FRANK FARMER.

Witnesses:

SWAN A. BRANDT, GEORGE WILLIAMS

